Nicki Minaj would like everyone to know that she is, by her own estimation, President Trump’s biggest fan—a title she announced with the kind of confidence usually reserved for stadium tours and fragrance launches. Any criticism, she assured an audience in Washington, not only fails to deter her enthusiasm but apparently fuels it.
Speaking Wednesday at a Treasury Department–hosted summit unveiling “Trump Accounts” for newborn babies (a phrase that alone required several blinks), the “Starships” rapper declared her loyalty unwavering. “I will say that I am probably the president’s No. 1 fan,” Minaj told the crowd, adding that this devotion was immune to what she described as “hate.” At 43, Minaj seemed quite certain of both her ranking and her resolve.
According to Minaj, public backlash does not discourage her—it motivates her. In fact, she suggested it should motivate everyone else too. Critics, she implied, are less a warning sign than a promotional tool. “We’re not going to let them get away with bullying him and the smear campaigns,” she said, explaining that Trump has “a lot of force behind him” and, for good measure, divine protection as well.
This marks a notable evolution from 2020, when Minaj said she would not “jump on the Donald Trump bandwagon.” The bandwagon, it seems, has since made a very persuasive return trip. In recent years, Minaj has emerged as an increasingly vocal supporter of the president, complete with surprise appearances and reverent praise.
Last month, she appeared at Turning Point USA’s annual conference, where she spoke warmly of Trump’s ability to inspire hope, defeat “the bad guys,” and do so with integrity—claims that landed somewhere between heartfelt and aspirational. She also cited a key credential: he is from Queens, New York, just like her, a shared ZIP code apparently strong enough to bridge vast political and cultural divides.
Trump, for his part, returned the admiration on Wednesday, calling Minaj the “greatest and most successful female rapper in history,” a superlative he delivered with the ease of a man deeply familiar with them. He also thanked her for donating “hundreds of thousands of dollars” to the Trump accounts, proving that political fandom, like all serious relationships, benefits from financial commitment.
“I just think she’s great,” Trump said, noting that he hadn’t known Minaj personally but had heard over the years that she was a supporter—sometimes to the discomfort of her own community. This, he observed, had caused her to “take a little heat,” which only seemed to enhance her appeal.
At one point, Trump was seen holding hands with Minaj, pausing to admire her extremely long, elaborately painted nails. “I’m going to let my nails grow because I love those nails,” he joked, drawing laughter from the audience and perhaps underscoring that, whatever else this alliance may be, it is certainly committed to the spectacle.